WhatsApp no longer works on some Android devices. According to a report, the messaging app has stopped working on devices running Android 5.0 or 5.1 starting September 8, 2026.
In April, WhatsApp announced that Android 5.0 Lollipop or Android 5.1 Lollipop would no longer be supported, as of September 8, 2026, Wabetainfo reported.
The new minimum requirement isAs a result, WhatsApp is no longer compatible with any device that cannot run Android 6.0 or newer.
Wabetainfo claimed has stopped working on devices that could never upgrade past Android 5.0 or 5.1.
Most of these devices are very old and never got a software update from their manufacturer.
India, Brazil, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and Africa are among the regions where older devices are still widely used, the report added.
In these regions, some users still use devices running Android 5, and a software update is unavailable. These users will have to switch to a new device to use WhatsApp.
Users will need to update the operating system or switch to a newer device.
Users on Android 5.0 or 5.1 cannot use the app until they upgrade their Android device to a supported version.
The minimum requirement is now , and this applies to both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business.
In case the system update is not available, they need to switch to a new device that supports Android 6.0 or a more recent version.
Why is WhatsApp dropping support for older Android versions?
New features need to be compatible with every version of Android supported by WhatsApp. However, WhatsApp cannot make all features compatible with older operating systems, Wabetainfo reported.
By ending support for Android 5.0 and 5.1, WhatsApp can finally build features that would be impossible to implement on older hardware. This affects a small number of users, but everyone else will benefit from new features.
